Local Business Marketing Myth #1

Spot on, Jim! Great content. Very insightful. Thanks for the tips for selling into local markets.

Jim,

AWESOME!!!!! As usual, you’re dead on!!!!!!

Peace,
Paul Evans

Jim,

I totally agree that those who are buying the “offline marketing gold” stuff are really being mislead. First, they don’t teach you how to analyze what the offline business needs and what to specifically offer them and then see it to completion. Second, they don’t teach the actual technique to help the business on the service sold. Kind of a hollow business offer from these offline marketing vendors.

Businesses want actual results and if that is not met, they will go “bye bye.”

Can’t see any video on my iPad. Any chance of a flash-free link?

Who is telling people to sell ebooks to local businesses? Never seen a single “guru” teach that.

I have been in a brick and mortar biz for many years and I have never been approached by a sales person who has asked me to buy an e book! I mean what could they possibly have that I would want to bye?

Tom

Hey Jim!

I agree with you about not trading time for money and not trying to sell e-books to local business. I also agree with Steve that I haven’t seen anyone offering anything like that as a “guru” but I’ve no doubt that someone is.

I do local marketing and have about 150 or so clients. Scalability is something a lot of people forget to consider, and I find many people that try local search marketing forget about that and your “O” (outsourcing).

You have to outsource (whether domestically or internationally) to really get this business to be scalable.

Also, if you don’t get your “T” tangible results, you will lose the client within one month to 60 days. They need to see new clients coming in and they need to see it happening quickly. Better still if you can prove it by using online coupons, offers and offer codes to track the online business.

Cheers,
Roland

Jim,
As a former owner of a “brick & mortar” business you are spot on! I get so many calls from clients asking about some new product that someone called them about. It’s amazing to see how everyone is rushing to “exploit” this market.

It gets so frustrating trying to explain to a local business owner that a $27 ebook is not going to save their business.

Keep up the great work, Jim. I really appreciate your insights!

Dan

Hey Jim,
thanks for the video, it’s really insightful and I’m looking forward to the next one!

One thing I have found is that while business owners might like to know how it all works (to sate their curiosity), they really don’t want to do it themselves.

As you say, business owners want results. period.

Looking forward to the next video Jim!
Tony.

So many people think they can waltz around and sell whatever they can find to business owners. Local business owners are not stupid, that is why they are in business in the first place. They want something real that produces real results. They want to build a relationship with you if you can continue to deliver. I haven’t sold the services to business owners yet, but I currently own 3 small businesses and believe me, I am kicking it in 3 markets using online marketing for these businesses. In fact, I took over one local company in Nov so that I could have a test bed for marketing. This online stuff really works. Produce results and sell that. Remember these are real people running their real business. Get to know them, send them results and they will pay a mint for it – month after month.

Great subject, Jim. I am glad you started it. I am in the process of getting into local business service area. Would be interesting to know what you and other people think about what kind of services are needed.

I’m glad to see you address this, Jim. I’ve become disappointed in a number of IMers who’ve jumped on this and compromised their reputations as a result (IMHO). Certainly local marketing is a potential market, but the manner and offerings they’re pitching are insulting, even for a “newbie.” Instead of jumping on this boat, maybe they should be on YOURS for the upcoming JimBoat cruise.

Thanks for this “short” to remind us of the essentials for local marketing success.

I must admit Jim, I have never looked at it this way. Thanks for another great video!

Jim,

You really hit the SPOT!

Serving other business owners is a BUSINESS and it takes much more than just having the basic technical skills in Internet Marketing.

Business owners are a target market group like any other niche market and if you are not part of the market, well, it?s hard to communicate with it in a way that creates that credibility necessary for a win-win, long-term client relationship.

Serving local business owners is fulfilling with the right clients, but, as you Jim so well pointed out, if you provide the service yourself, you basically lose the leverage of the Internet for your own business and you are back in exchanging your time for dollars.

Stepping up to serving other business owners with your services is utilizing a totally new business model that demands much more marketing, selling, negotiating, educating the prospects about the benefits, and client follow-up that most people could handle with their current level of business experience, skills, and systems.

However, it would be fantastic to see more skilled Internet Marketers ready to grow themselves and their business to this new level and truly bring value to offline business owners, who understand how important media Internet is for their business growth.

Looking forward to the next video!

My best,
Virpi

Great video Jim – a friend told me about it and I am glad I watched it now because it helped confirm that at least I am heading in the right direction.

Diane

Great video Jim,

I have been dabbling in Local Business Marketing for over a year now (before the gurus got hold of it as the next Goldmine!!!)

I totally agree with some of the comments. Businesses do NOT want to buy and then take up their valuable time reading an ebook. Also, what the Gurus dont tell you is that it is bloody difficult selling to local business owners because the vast majority of them, at the moment, are of a what I call a Chicken Licken mentality!! They think the sky is falling in on them and can not see far enough ahead to entertain what you have to offer.

However, when you do find those that are of an entrepreneurial mindset (and I have quite a few) they love you big time when you start giving them results – which when you do it right is inevitable.

Thanks again for the insight Jim and for telling it how it is – as normal. Love your candid approach

Jonathan Lake

Thanks for the tips Jim,

I’ve been building and hosting websites for local clients since 2000 but haven’t figured out the scalability factor (even though I do incorporate marketing)and I agree about trading time for money. I’ve tried outsourcing but the time spent communicating between parties took longer than if I did the work myself. I’m now working on introducing information products related to my business to supplement my main income. I’m hoping some of my local clients will even buy my ebooks:-)

Hi Jim

It’s been really annoying to see loads of pitches to get ‘newbies’ to sell anything to local businesses when it’s pretty obvious that the newbies don’t know the first thing about business.

How I’m doing it is to offer my services to businesses but agree in writing beforehand that when the business sees the measurable results, that is when they pay the previously agreed sum. Otherwise they pay nothing.

All these wannabe IM’s are making it so that the local businesses don’t want to listen to any of us. It’s making it much harder to get a genuinely helpful pitch across.

Thanks for the video’s.

Tony

Jim

Great video and you’re right … there is a lot of bull out there. I have been a local business and have dealt with sales reps all my life.

These small business need help and they also demand instant payback as they work with very tight budgets. If you work for them and help them succeed you will succeed yourself.

Steve

I’ve ran brick and mortar businesses for years, before joining the Internet business community, and I agree completely with you.

You’re offer to any business, needs to hit all these points, are it will fail, to bring in the results your looking for in a profitable business.

Sure! I enjoy your webinars!!

Hi Jim… liked your video. Understand offering service is better than a product. However if one already has created a product, do you have a video on how to go about that?

Jim, I’ve set up a face book account, do you have a 1-2-3 step video on what to do once the account is open? Not what it can do for you , I know all about that. But what the heck do you do once your page shows up for the first time. Thanks a lot.

Hey Jim, great video. May I use this info to create a presentation to prospects?